EP4179037A1 - Revêtements oléophobes/hydrophobes et d'aluminium liés énergétiquement pour substrat - Google Patents

Revêtements oléophobes/hydrophobes et d'aluminium liés énergétiquement pour substrat

Info

Publication number
EP4179037A1
EP4179037A1 EP21837502.0A EP21837502A EP4179037A1 EP 4179037 A1 EP4179037 A1 EP 4179037A1 EP 21837502 A EP21837502 A EP 21837502A EP 4179037 A1 EP4179037 A1 EP 4179037A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
layer
optical mirror
angstroms
protective layer
mirror
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
EP21837502.0A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP4179037A4 (fr
Inventor
Barry Davis
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
FlightSafety International Inc
Original Assignee
FlightSafety International Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by FlightSafety International Inc filed Critical FlightSafety International Inc
Publication of EP4179037A1 publication Critical patent/EP4179037A1/fr
Publication of EP4179037A4 publication Critical patent/EP4179037A4/fr
Pending legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B5/00—Optical elements other than lenses
    • G02B5/08—Mirrors
    • G02B5/0816—Multilayer mirrors, i.e. having two or more reflecting layers
    • G02B5/085—Multilayer mirrors, i.e. having two or more reflecting layers at least one of the reflecting layers comprising metal
    • G02B5/0875—Multilayer mirrors, i.e. having two or more reflecting layers at least one of the reflecting layers comprising metal the reflecting layers comprising two or more metallic layers
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B5/00—Optical elements other than lenses
    • G02B5/08—Mirrors
    • G02B5/0816—Multilayer mirrors, i.e. having two or more reflecting layers
    • G02B5/085—Multilayer mirrors, i.e. having two or more reflecting layers at least one of the reflecting layers comprising metal
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C03—GLASS; MINERAL OR SLAG WOOL
    • C03C—CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF GLASSES, GLAZES OR VITREOUS ENAMELS; SURFACE TREATMENT OF GLASS; SURFACE TREATMENT OF FIBRES OR FILAMENTS MADE FROM GLASS, MINERALS OR SLAGS; JOINING GLASS TO GLASS OR OTHER MATERIALS
    • C03C17/00—Surface treatment of glass, not in the form of fibres or filaments, by coating
    • C03C17/34—Surface treatment of glass, not in the form of fibres or filaments, by coating with at least two coatings having different compositions
    • C03C17/36—Surface treatment of glass, not in the form of fibres or filaments, by coating with at least two coatings having different compositions at least one coating being a metal
    • C03C17/3602—Surface treatment of glass, not in the form of fibres or filaments, by coating with at least two coatings having different compositions at least one coating being a metal the metal being present as a layer
    • C03C17/3657—Surface treatment of glass, not in the form of fibres or filaments, by coating with at least two coatings having different compositions at least one coating being a metal the metal being present as a layer the multilayer coating having optical properties
    • C03C17/3663—Surface treatment of glass, not in the form of fibres or filaments, by coating with at least two coatings having different compositions at least one coating being a metal the metal being present as a layer the multilayer coating having optical properties specially adapted for use as mirrors
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C03—GLASS; MINERAL OR SLAG WOOL
    • C03C—CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF GLASSES, GLAZES OR VITREOUS ENAMELS; SURFACE TREATMENT OF GLASS; SURFACE TREATMENT OF FIBRES OR FILAMENTS MADE FROM GLASS, MINERALS OR SLAGS; JOINING GLASS TO GLASS OR OTHER MATERIALS
    • C03C17/00—Surface treatment of glass, not in the form of fibres or filaments, by coating
    • C03C17/34—Surface treatment of glass, not in the form of fibres or filaments, by coating with at least two coatings having different compositions
    • C03C17/36—Surface treatment of glass, not in the form of fibres or filaments, by coating with at least two coatings having different compositions at least one coating being a metal
    • C03C17/38—Surface treatment of glass, not in the form of fibres or filaments, by coating with at least two coatings having different compositions at least one coating being a metal at least one coating being a coating of an organic material
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
    • C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
    • C23C14/00—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material
    • C23C14/02—Pretreatment of the material to be coated
    • C23C14/024—Deposition of sublayers, e.g. to promote adhesion of the coating
    • C23C14/025—Metallic sublayers
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
    • C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
    • C23C14/00—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material
    • C23C14/06—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material characterised by the coating material
    • C23C14/10—Glass or silica
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
    • C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
    • C23C14/00—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material
    • C23C14/06—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material characterised by the coating material
    • C23C14/14—Metallic material, boron or silicon
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
    • C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
    • C23C14/00—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material
    • C23C14/06—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material characterised by the coating material
    • C23C14/14—Metallic material, boron or silicon
    • C23C14/18—Metallic material, boron or silicon on other inorganic substrates
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
    • C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
    • C23C14/00—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material
    • C23C14/22—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material characterised by the process of coating
    • C23C14/221—Ion beam deposition
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
    • C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
    • C23C14/00—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material
    • C23C14/22—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material characterised by the process of coating
    • C23C14/24—Vacuum evaporation
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
    • C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
    • C23C14/00—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material
    • C23C14/22—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material characterised by the process of coating
    • C23C14/54—Controlling or regulating the coating process
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
    • C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
    • C23C14/00—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material
    • C23C14/58—After-treatment
    • C23C14/5826—Treatment with charged particles
    • C23C14/5833—Ion beam bombardment
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
    • C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
    • C23C28/00—Coating for obtaining at least two superposed coatings either by methods not provided for in a single one of groups C23C2/00 - C23C26/00 or by combinations of methods provided for in subclasses C23C and C25C or C25D
    • C23C28/30—Coatings combining at least one metallic layer and at least one inorganic non-metallic layer
    • C23C28/32—Coatings combining at least one metallic layer and at least one inorganic non-metallic layer including at least one pure metallic layer
    • C23C28/321—Coatings combining at least one metallic layer and at least one inorganic non-metallic layer including at least one pure metallic layer with at least one metal alloy layer
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
    • C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
    • C23C28/00—Coating for obtaining at least two superposed coatings either by methods not provided for in a single one of groups C23C2/00 - C23C26/00 or by combinations of methods provided for in subclasses C23C and C25C or C25D
    • C23C28/30—Coatings combining at least one metallic layer and at least one inorganic non-metallic layer
    • C23C28/34—Coatings combining at least one metallic layer and at least one inorganic non-metallic layer including at least one inorganic non-metallic material layer, e.g. metal carbide, nitride, boride, silicide layer and their mixtures, enamels, phosphates and sulphates
    • C23C28/345—Coatings combining at least one metallic layer and at least one inorganic non-metallic layer including at least one inorganic non-metallic material layer, e.g. metal carbide, nitride, boride, silicide layer and their mixtures, enamels, phosphates and sulphates with at least one oxide layer
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C03—GLASS; MINERAL OR SLAG WOOL
    • C03C—CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF GLASSES, GLAZES OR VITREOUS ENAMELS; SURFACE TREATMENT OF GLASS; SURFACE TREATMENT OF FIBRES OR FILAMENTS MADE FROM GLASS, MINERALS OR SLAGS; JOINING GLASS TO GLASS OR OTHER MATERIALS
    • C03C2217/00—Coatings on glass
    • C03C2217/70—Properties of coatings
    • C03C2217/76—Hydrophobic and oleophobic coatings
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B1/00—Optical elements characterised by the material of which they are made; Optical coatings for optical elements
    • G02B1/10—Optical coatings produced by application to, or surface treatment of, optical elements
    • G02B1/14—Protective coatings, e.g. hard coatings
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B1/00—Optical elements characterised by the material of which they are made; Optical coatings for optical elements
    • G02B1/10—Optical coatings produced by application to, or surface treatment of, optical elements
    • G02B1/18—Coatings for keeping optical surfaces clean, e.g. hydrophobic or photo-catalytic films

Definitions

  • This disclosure relates generally to coatings for substrates, and specifically to energetically bonded aluminum and oleophobic/hydrophobic (O/H) substrate coatings and methods for forming and using coatings.
  • O/H oleophobic/hydrophobic
  • Coatings including such materials as aluminum, gold, silver, and dielectric materials may be applied to glass articles to make the glass article reflective and create a mirrored surface.
  • To make an optical-quality mirror which requires high degrees of uniformity and reflectivity, requires greater polishing and precision during creation and deposition of the coating than, for example, a household mirror, which does not require the same high degrees of uniformity or reflectivity.
  • Such optical -quality mirrors are used to reflect light in a wide variety of applications (including but not limited to light beam steering, interferometry, illumination, and optical components of imaging systems) and industries (including but not limited to life sciences, astronomy, meteorology, semiconductors, and solar power).
  • Oleophobic/hydrophobic (O/H) coatings are thin-film coatings that can be applied to a surface to cause oil and water to form beads and easily fall or otherwise be removed from the surface, rather than spreading out across the surface in a thin, flat layer.
  • O/H coated glasses are commonly used in eyeglasses, cell phone screens, ATM displays, and other small display devices, especially those having high-touch surfaces. The O/H coatings of these items allow the display devices to resist accumulation of environmental contaminants and improve the ease of cleaning the device.
  • a persistent problem in the manufacture of optical -quality mirrors has been the inability to formulate a durable coating that provides improved resistance to abrasion and physical degradation, cleanability, and resistance to blurring.
  • Previous attempts to provide such coatings have generally been characterized by poor adhesion between the coating layers and the substrate, resulting in a short useful lifetime of the coating before the coating separates from the substrate and/or degrades while remaining on the substrate.
  • the mirror surface may frequently be exposed to scratching or other impacts and/or debris and environmental contaminants, any of which may damage or destroy the uniformity and reflectivity of the mirror surface.
  • a coating for an optical mirror that reduces the adhesion of debris and contaminants to the surface may provide a dual benefit, in that it improves not only the cleanability of the mirror but also the mirror’s resistance to abrasion and physical degradation.
  • an optical mirror comprises: (1) a base layer; (2) a binder layer, overlying and energetically bonded to the base layer, comprising aluminum metal; (3) a reflective layer, overlying the binder layer, comprising aluminum metal; (4) a protective layer, overlying the reflective layer, comprising silicon dioxide; and (5) a top layer, overlying the protective layer, wherein the top layer is at least one of oleophobic and hydrophobic.
  • the binder layer may be deposited at a first predetermined rate and the reflective layer may be deposited at a second predetermined rate.
  • At least one of the binder layer and the protective layer may be deposited via ion-aided deposition.
  • the ion-aided deposition may, but need not, be argon ion-aided deposition.
  • a thickness of the binder layer is between about 50 angstroms and about 450 angstroms;
  • a thickness of the reflective layer is between about 500 angstroms and about 900 angstroms;
  • a thickness of the protective layer is between about 950 angstroms and about 2350 angstroms; and
  • a thickness of the top layer is between about 100 angstroms and about 300 angstroms.
  • the optical mirror includes one or more of the previous embodiments and a combined thickness of the binder layer, the reflective layer, the protective layer, and the top layer may vary by no more than about 2%, no more than about 1.5%, or no more than about 1% across a surface area of the top layer.
  • the optical mirror may comprise one or more of the previous embodiments and the first predetermined rate is optionally no more than about 5 angstroms per second.
  • the first predetermined rate at which the binder layer is deposited is between about 0.1 angstrom per second and about 5.0 angstroms per second.
  • the optical mirror optionally includes any one or more of the previous embodiments and the second predetermined rate is at least about 15 angstroms per second.
  • the second predetermined rate at which the reflective layer is deposited is optionally between about 15 angstroms per second and about 50 angstroms per second.
  • the reflective layer is deposited by a vacuum deposition aluminum silvering process.
  • the optical mirror may comprise any one or more of the previous embodiments, and optionally the protective layer is deposited on the reflective layer by ion-aided deposition.
  • the ion-aided deposition is optionally argon ion-aided deposition.
  • the protective layer is deposited on the reflective layer at a rate of between about 2 angstroms per second and about 5 angstroms per second.
  • the optical mirror may include one or more of the previous embodiments and optionally the protective layer is a first protective layer and the optical mirror further comprises a second protective layer positioned between the first protective layer and the top layer.
  • the first protective layer may thus optionally be a lower protective layer and the second protective layer may thus optionally be an upper protective layer.
  • the first protective layer is applied to the reflective layer by ion-aided deposition.
  • the first protective layer optionally has a first thickness of between about 950 angstroms and about 1750 angstroms.
  • the second protective layer is optionally applied to the first protective layer by a non-ion-aided vacuum deposition process.
  • the second protective layer optionally has a second thickness of between about 1 angstrom and about 600 angstroms.
  • the top layer is deposited by ion-aided deposition.
  • an argon ion-aided deposition method is used to deposit the top layer.
  • the optical mirror may include one or more of the previous embodiments and the top layer may optionally comprise one of: Substance WR4-SF Patinal®, Surfclear 100A, and Surfclear 300.
  • the optical mirror optionally comprises one or more of the previous embodiments and the base layer comprises a glass.
  • the base layer comprises a plastic, a metal, or a polymer.
  • an average reflectivity of the optical mirror is at least about 85% over a wavelength range between 450 nanometers and 650 nanometers.
  • a water contact angle on a surface of the top layer is at least about 90°. Additionally, or alternatively, an oil contact angle on the surface of the top layer is at least about 70°.
  • the optical mirror may include one or more of the previous embodiments and optionally the protective layer is cleaned before the top layer is applied atop the protective layer.
  • the protective layer is cleaned by an ion cleaning method.
  • the ion source for the ion cleaning method is the same as used to deposit one or more layers of the optical mirror by ion-aided deposition.
  • the ion source for the ion cleaning method is argon.
  • the optical mirror optionally includes one or more of the previous embodiments and further comprises a front surface that is concave.
  • the front surface has a radius of curvature of between about 9 feet and about 12 feet.
  • the optical mirror includes one or more of the previous embodiments and a shape of the front surface is adapted to collimate light scattered from a diffusion screen that is illuminated by a projector.
  • the optical mirror may include one or more of the previous embodiments and the front surface has a shape that includes at least a section of a sphere, a parabolic, an ellipsoid, and combinations thereof.
  • the optical mirror comprises a body with a first side opposite a second side.
  • the first side is congruent to the second side.
  • the first and second sides may be oriented approximately perpendicular to the front surface of the mirror.
  • the optical mirror comprises one or more of the previous embodiments and the base layer is a portion of the body.
  • the base layer is formed of a first material and the body comprises a second material that is different from the first material.
  • the base layer is joined or interconnected to the body.
  • the base layer is joined or interconnected to the body before the binder layer is bonded to the base layer.
  • the base layer is joined or interconnected to the body after one or more of the binder layer, the reflective layer, the protective layer, and the top layer are applied to the base layer.
  • a coating for an optical mirror comprises: (1) a binder layer, comprising aluminum metal, deposited on an underlying substrate at a first rate; (2) a reflective layer, overlying the binder layer, comprising aluminum metal, deposited at a second rate; (3) a protective layer, overlying the reflective layer, comprising silicon dioxide; and (4) a top layer, overlying the protective layer, wherein the top layer is at least one of oleophobic and hydrophobic.
  • At least one of the binder layer and the protective layer may be deposited via ion-aided deposition.
  • the ion-aided deposition may, but need not, be argon ion-aided deposition.
  • a thickness of the binder layer is between about 50 angstroms and about 450 angstroms;
  • a thickness of the reflective layer is between about 500 angstroms and about 900 angstroms;
  • a thickness of the protective layer is between about 950 angstroms and about 2350 angstroms; and
  • a thickness of the top layer is between about 100 angstroms and about 300 angstroms.
  • a combined thickness of the binder layer, the reflective layer, the protective layer, and the top layer may vary by no more than about 2%, no more than about 1.5%, or no more than about 1% across a surface area of the coating.
  • the coating may comprise one or more of the previous embodiments, and the first rate at which the binder layer is deposited is no more than about 5 angstroms per second.
  • the first rate at which the binder layer is deposited on the base layer is between about 0.1 angstrom per second and about 5.0 angstroms per second.
  • the coating optionally includes any one or more of the previous embodiments, and the second rate may be at least about 15 angstroms per second.
  • the reflective layer may be deposited at the second rate of between about 15 angstroms per second and about 50 angstroms per second.
  • the reflective layer is deposited by a vacuum deposition aluminum silvering process.
  • the coating may comprise any one or more of the previous embodiments, and optionally the protective layer is deposited on the reflective layer by ion-aided deposition.
  • the ion-aided deposition is optionally argon ion-aided deposition.
  • the coating may include one or more of the previous embodiments and optionally the protective layer is a first protective layer and the coating further comprises a second protective layer positioned between the first protective layer and the top layer.
  • the first protective layer may thus optionally be a lower protective layer and the second protective layer may thus optionally be an upper protective layer.
  • a method for making an optical mirror comprises: (a) applying a binder layer comprising aluminum metal to a substrate at a first rate; (b) applying a reflective layer comprising aluminum metal atop the binder layer at a second rate; (c) applying a protective layer comprising silicon dioxide atop the reflective layer to form an uncoated optical mirror; and (d) applying a top layer atop the protective layer, wherein the top layer is at least one of oleophobic and hydrophobic to form the coated optical mirror.
  • At least one of the binder layer and the protective layer may be deposited via ion-aided deposition.
  • the ion-aided deposition may, but need not, be argon ion-aided deposition.
  • a thickness of the binder layer is between about 50 angstroms and about 450 angstroms;
  • a thickness of the reflective layer is between about 500 angstroms and about 900 angstroms;
  • a thickness of the protective layer is between about 950 angstroms and about 2350 angstroms; and
  • a thickness of the top layer is between about 100 angstroms and about 300 angstroms.
  • a combined thickness of the binder layer, the reflective layer, the protective layer, and the top layer may vary by no more than about 2%, no more than about 1.5%, or no more than about 1% across a surface area of the substrate.
  • an oleophobic/hydrophobic material of the top layer may be selected from the group consisting of Substance WR4-SF Patinal®, Surfclear 100, and Surfclear 300.
  • an average reflectivity of the optical mirror, over a wavelength range between 450 nanometers and 650 nanometers, may be at least about 85%.
  • the optical mirror optionally includes one or more of the previous embodiments and further comprises a front surface that is concave.
  • a radius of curvature of a front surface of the optical mirror may be at least about 9.25 feet.
  • the front surface has a radius of curvature of between about 9 feet and about 12 feet.
  • a water contact angle on the front surface of the optical mirror may be at least about 90°.
  • an oil contact angle on the front surface of the optical mirror may be at least about 70°.
  • a vacuum chamber in which steps (c) and (d) are carried out may not be purged or vented between steps (c) and (d).
  • the method may comprise one or more of the previous embodiments, and may further comprise, between steps (c) and (d), ion-cleaning the uncoated optical mirror.
  • a duration of the ion-cleaning step may optionally, but need not, be between about 1 minute and about 30 minutes.
  • the ion-cleaning step may optionally, but need not, be an argon ion cleaning step.
  • the method may include one or more of the previous embodiments and optionally the protective layer is a first protective layer and the method further comprises applying a second protective layer positioned between the first protective layer and the top layer.
  • the first protective layer may thus optionally be a lower protective layer and the second protective layer may thus optionally be an upper protective layer.
  • the first protective layer is applied to the reflective layer by ion-aided deposition.
  • the first protective layer optionally has a first thickness of between about 950 angstroms and about 1750 angstroms.
  • the second protective layer is optionally applied to the first protective layer by a non-ion-aided vacuum deposition process.
  • the second protective layer optionally has a second thickness of between about 1 angstrom and about 600 angstroms.
  • the method may comprise one or more of the previous embodiments, and may further comprise depositing the binder layer at the first rate of no more than about 5 angstroms per second.
  • the first rate at which the binder layer is deposited on the substrate is between about 0.1 angstrom per second and about 5.0 angstroms per second.
  • the method optionally includes any one or more of the previous embodiments, and the second rate may be at least about 15 angstroms per second.
  • the second rate at which the reflective layer is deposited is between about 15 angstroms per second and about 50 angstroms per second.
  • the reflective layer is deposited by a vacuum deposition aluminum silvering process.
  • a time interval between steps (c) and (d) may be no more than about 60 minutes.
  • the method may comprise any one or more of the previous embodiments, and optionally the protective layer is deposited on the reflective layer by ion-aided deposition.
  • the ion-aided deposition is optionally argon ion-aided deposition.
  • the method comprises any one or more of the previous embodiments and further comprises depositing the top layer by ion-aided deposition.
  • an argon ion-aided deposition method is used to deposit the top layer.
  • the method further comprises providing the substrate formed of a glass.
  • the method further comprises providing the substrate formed of a plastic, a metal, or a polymer.
  • the method optionally includes one or more of the previous embodiments, and further comprises joining the substrate to a body of the optical mirror.
  • the substrate is joined or interconnected to the body before the binder layer is applied to the substrate.
  • the substrate is joined or interconnected to the body after one or more of the binder layer, the reflective layer, the protective layer, and the top layer are applied to the substrate.
  • One aspect of the present disclosure is a mirror as substantially described herein.
  • the mirror may include any of the aspects and embodiments described herein.
  • the mirror may be formed by any method or combination of methods described herein.
  • Another aspect of the present disclosure is a coating for an optical mirror as substantially described herein.
  • the coating may include any of the aspects and embodiments described herein.
  • the coating may be applied to the optical mirror by any method or combination of methods described herein.
  • One aspect is a mirror with a coating as substantially described herein.
  • Still another aspect of the present disclosure is a method of making a coated optical mirror as substantially described herein.
  • the method may include any of the aspect and embodiments described herein.
  • Yet another aspect is a mirror produced substantially according to a method described herein.
  • each of the expressions “at least one of A, B, and C,” “at least one of A, B, or C,” one or more of A, B, and C,” “one or more of A, B, or C,” and “A, B, and/or C” means A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B, and C together.
  • ranges described herein may be reduced to any sub-range or portion of the range, or to any value within the range without deviating from the invention.
  • range “5 to 55” includes, but is not limited to, the sub-ranges “5 to 20” as well as “ 17 to 54.”
  • Figure l is a perspective view of a mirror according to embodiments of the present disclosure.
  • Figure 2A is an illustration of the layers of a mirror having an energetically bonded O/H coating, according to embodiments of the present disclosure.
  • Figure 2B is an illustration of the layers of another mirror having an energetically bonded O/H coating, according to embodiments of the present disclosure.
  • Figure 3 is an illustration of a method for making a mirror with an energetically bonded O/H coating, according to embodiments of the present disclosure.
  • Figure 4 is an illustration of another method for making a mirror with an energetically bonded O/H coating, according to embodiments of the present disclosure.
  • Figures 5A and 5B are photographs of a conventional mirror and a mirror having an energetically bonded O/H coating according to embodiments of the present disclosure, respectively, after a “tape pull” adhesion test.
  • Figures 6A and 6B are perspective views of a conventional mirror and a mirror having an energetically bonded O/H coating according to embodiments of the present disclosure, respectively, with droplets of water applied to the surfaces thereof.
  • Figures 7A and 7B are closeup views of the conventional mirror of Figure 6A and the mirror having an energetically bonded O/H coating of Figure 6B, respectively, with droplets of water applied to the surfaces thereof.
  • Figures 8A and 8B are photographs of a conventional mirror and a mirror having an energetically bonded O/H coating according to embodiments of the present disclosure, respectively, with fingerprints applied to the surfaces thereof.
  • Figures 9A and 9B are photographs of the mirrors of Figures 8A and 8B, respectively, after rubbing the mirrors with a dry paper towel.
  • Figures 10A and 10B are photographs of a conventional mirror and a mirror having an energetically bonded O/H coating according to embodiments of the present disclosure, respectively, with permanent ink applied to the surfaces thereof.
  • Figures 11A and 11B are photographs of the mirrors of Figures 10A and 10B, respectively, after rubbing the mirrors with a dry paper towel.
  • Figures 12A and 12B are photographs of a mirror having an energetically bonded O/H coating, according to embodiments of the present disclosure, after application of a foaming spray cleaner and after wiping of the foaming spray cleaner with a dry microfiber cloth, respectively.
  • Figures 13 A and 13B are photographs of two conventional mirrors and two mirrors having an energetically bonded O/H coating according to embodiments of the present disclosure, respectively, after salt spray testing.
  • Figure 14 is a graph of the reflectivity of a conventional mirror and a mirror having an energetically bonded O/H coating according to embodiments of the present disclosure.
  • Figures 15A and 15B are photographs of a conventional mirror and a mirror having an energetically bonded O/H coating according to embodiments of the present disclosure, respectively, after a “tape pull” adhesion test.
  • Figures 16A and 16B are photographs of a conventional mirror and a mirror having an energetically bonded O/H coating according to embodiments of the present disclosure, respectively, with droplets of water applied to the surfaces thereof.
  • Figures 17A and 17B are closeup views of the mirrors of Figures 16A and 16B, respectively, with droplets of water applied to the surfaces thereof.
  • Figures 18A and 18B are photographs of a conventional mirror and a mirror having an energetically bonded O/H coating according to embodiments of the present disclosure, respectively, with fingerprints applied to the surfaces thereof.
  • Figures 19A and 19B are photographs of the mirrors of Figures 18A and 18B, respectively, after rubbing the mirrors with a dry paper towel.
  • Figures 20A and 20B are photographs of a conventional mirror and a mirror having an energetically bonded O/H coating according to embodiments of the present disclosure, respectively, with permanent ink applied to the surfaces thereof.
  • Figures 21A and 21B are photographs of the mirrors of Figures 20A and 20B, respectively, after rubbing the mirrors with a dry paper towel.
  • Figure 22 are photographs of seven sample mirrors that each have an energetically bonded O/H coating according to embodiments of the present disclosure.
  • Figure 23 is a graph of the reflectivity of a conventional mirror and a mirror having an energetically bonded O/H coating according to embodiments of the present disclosure.
  • Figures 24A, 24B, 24C, 24D, 24E, 24F, and 24G are a graphs of the reflectivity of the sample mirrors having an energetically bonded O/H coating of Figure 22.
  • Figure 25 is a graph of variations in thicknesses of coatings of the mirrors of Figure
  • Figure 26 is a photograph of a portion of a full-size conventional mirror to which an O/H coating has been applied according to embodiments of the present disclosure, with permanent ink applied to the surface thereof.
  • Figure 27 is a photograph of another portion of the full-size conventional mirror of Figure 26 with droplets of water applied to the surface thereof.
  • hydrophobic refers to a material that appears or tends to repel water, or appears or tends to be repelled from water, or to which water tends to adhere poorly.
  • oily substances As used herein, unless otherwise specified, the term “oleophobic” refers to a material that appears or tends to repel oils and oily substances, or appears or tends to be repelled from oils and oily substances, or to which oils and oily substances tend to adhere poorly.
  • oleophobic/hydrophobic and “O/H” are interchangeable and each refer to a material that is oleophobic, or hydrophobic, or both.
  • specular reflection refers to the reflection of light from a surface at the same angle to the surface normal as the incident ray, but on the opposing side of the surface normal in the plane formed by the incident and reflected rays. Reflection that is not specular is “diffuse reflection.”
  • references generally relate to oleophobic and/or hydrophobic coatings, protective coatings for optical-quality mirrors, and related compositions, devices, methods, and systems, and are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties:
  • the present disclosure provides protective coatings for surfaces of substrates, particularly glass substrates and even more particularly optical mirrors, that include a plurality of layers.
  • the coating layers include energetically bonded layers of aluminum and of oleophobic/hydrophobic (O/H) materials, and provide the mirror with improved resistance to abrasion and physical degradation, cleanability, resistance to blurring, and adhesion of the coating to the substrate.
  • O/H oleophobic/hydrophobic
  • the application of the coatings of the present disclosure to optical-quality mirrors increases the mirror’s cleanability and useful lifespan and decreases the likelihood that the mirror will be damaged by environmental contaminants and the susceptibility of the mirror to reflection haze and transmission haze.
  • Methods for depositing the coatings on substrates can be easily incorporated into or adapted from existing methods for making such mirrors and can provide mirrors having these and other advantages and benefits with minimal additional time (in some embodiments, about 10 minutes) and cost (in some embodiments, about $200).
  • Accumulated water on the surface of an optical-quality mirror can, with time, penetrate the top layers of the mirror’s coating and cause chemical or physical degradation of the layers. Additionally, prolonged contact between the top surface of the coating and water can cause contaminants dissolved within the water to leach into and be absorbed by the coating, causing a “blue haze” or “white haze” phenomenon that not only degrades the reflectivity of the mirror but can be extremely difficult to clean or remove from the mirror without abrading or damaging portions of the coating itself.
  • the present disclosure may provide the important advantage and benefit of improving the hydrophobicity of mirror coatings to reduce the amount of water that may accumulate on the surface and the length of time that such water may remain before falling away from the surface or otherwise being removed.
  • the mirror 10 generally includes a body 12 with a front portion 14 opposite a rear surface 16, a top surface 18 opposite a bottom surface 20, and a first side 22 opposite a second side 24.
  • the body 12 may have any desired shape and geometry.
  • the body 12 is formed of one or more a glass, a metal, a polymer, and a plastic.
  • the front portion 14 may have any predetermined shape.
  • the front portion 14 is curved.
  • the front portion 14 may be generally concave.
  • the front portion 14 may have a shape that is spherical, elliptical, freeform, flat, and other geometries known to those of skill in the art.
  • the front portion 14 of the mirror body 12 has a shape that includes at least a section of a circle, a sphere, a parabolic, an ellipsoid, a plane, a freeform, and combinations thereof.
  • the front portion 14 has a geometry adapted to collimate light from a projector to a user facing the front surface.
  • the front portion 14 may have a predetermined radius of curvature.
  • the front portion 14 has a radius of curvature of between about 9 feet and about 12 feet.
  • the radius of curvature is about 9.25 feet, about 10 feet, or about 11 feet. In other embodiments, the radius of curvature may be less than 9 feet or greater than 12 feet.
  • the first and second sides 22, 24 of the mirror body 12 are oriented generally vertically.
  • the first side 22 is a mirror-image of (or congruent to) the second side 24.
  • the sides 22, 24 are optionally planar.
  • the sides 22, 24 may also be described as having a radial shape that is aligned with a center of curvature of the front portion 14 so that the sides of the mirror body 12 match sides of adjacent mirror bodies when positioned in a mirror array comprising a plurality of mirror bodies.
  • the radial sides 22, 24 may be approximately perpendicular, or “plumb,” in relation to the front portion 14.
  • the coating 100A includes an energetically bonded O/H top layer 160. More specifically, front portion 14 comprises a base layer (or substrate layer) 110, a binder layer 120, a reflective layer 130, a protective layer 140, and a top layer (or O/H layer) 160.
  • the base layer 110 is a substrate to which the coating 100A of the disclosure (i.e. a coating comprising the binder layer 120, the reflective layer 130, the protective layer 140, and the top layer 160) may be applied.
  • the base layer 110 may be a portion of the mirror body 12.
  • the base layer 110 may be a material joined or attached to the mirror body 12.
  • the base layer 110 is formed of a first material and the mirror body 12 is formed of a second different material.
  • the base layer 110 is most commonly made entirely or primarily of glass, but may in embodiments be made entirely or primarily of any of a number of other suitable materials, including but not limited to metals, metal alloys, and/or plastics. Properties of the base layer 110 may be selected or controlled to provide a mirror of a desired quality or having a desired characteristic; particularly, the surface quality (i.e. the deviation from an ideal shape) of the base layer 110 influences such characteristics as distortion, artifacts, aberration, coherence, collimation, and divergence, and the surface roughness of the base layer 110 determines how much of the reflection is specular and how much is diffuse, thereby controlling the sharpness (or blurriness) of the image.
  • the surface quality i.e. the deviation from an ideal shape
  • the coatings of the present disclosure, and methods of making and applying such coatings are particularly advantageous in that they do not result in significant alteration of the surface quality, scratching, or gouging of the base layer 110, thereby minimizing the surface roughness introduced by the coating process.
  • the base layer 110 (and thus the mirror 10A as a whole) may be of any suitable material, length, width, or area.
  • mirrors 10 for use in, e.g., flight vehicle simulators (FVSs) may have a radius of curvature that is about 9.25 feet, about 10 feet, or about 11 feet.
  • the binder layer 120 lies atop the base layer 110 and is the first layer of the coating 100A to be deposited on the base layer 110.
  • the primary purpose of the binder layer 120 is to improve adhesion between the subsequently deposited layers of the coating (i.e. the reflective layer 130, the protective layer 140, and the top layer 160) and the base layer 110. This effect is achieved by providing the binder layer 120 in the form of a thin layer — e.g. between about 50 angstroms and about 450 angstroms, most commonly about 250 angstroms — of aluminum metal, and particularly by energetically bonding the aluminum binder layer 120 to the base layer 110.
  • This energetic bonding can be accomplished by depositing the binder layer 120 on the base layer 110 via vacuum deposition, and in some embodiments, by ion-aided deposition (IAD).
  • IAD is a type of vacuum deposition process in which the substrate is continually or periodically bombarded with high-energy particles during deposition, resulting in deposition of atomic-sized energetic particles of a deposited condensing film material.
  • the energetic particles with which the substrate is bombarded are usually ions of an inert gas, but can also be ions of a reactive gas or of the condensing film material itself.
  • the ions may be argon ions, and thus the process may be referred to as “argon IAD.”
  • the binder layer 120 may be deposited on the base layer 110 at a rate of no more than about 5.0 angstroms per second, no more than about 4.5 angstroms per second, no more than about 4.0 angstroms per second, no more than about 3.5 angstroms per second, no more than about 3.0 angstroms per second, no more than about 2.5 angstroms per second, no more than about 2.0 angstroms per second, no more than about 1.5 angstroms per second, no more than about 1.0 angstroms per second, or about 0.5 angstroms per second.
  • the binder layer 120 is deposited on the base layer 110 at a rate of between about 0.1 angstrom per second and about 5.0 angstroms per second. Without wishing to be bound by any particular theory, it is hypothesized that these relatively low deposition rates provide the greatest degree of energetic bonding between the binder layer 120 and the base layer 110, and thus the greatest improvement in adhesion between the subsequently deposited layers of the coating and the base layer 110.
  • the reflective layer 130 lies atop, and is deposited after deposition of, the binder layer 120.
  • the reflective layer 130 which, like the binder layer 120, comprises aluminum metal — is the light-reflecting portion of the mirror 10A, i.e. enhances the reflectivity of the base layer 110 and thus the mirror 10A as a whole.
  • Aluminum is well-known as a “silvering” material for conventional optical-quality mirrors for many instruments, particularly telescopes; it is harder and less expensive than silver and reflects 85% to 90% of incoming visible light, and although it tarnishes relatively quickly, this tarnish (i.e. aluminum oxide) is itself transparent and so does not impede the reflectivity of the coating.
  • the reflective layer 130 is generally thicker than the binder layer 120, usually between about 500 angstroms and about 900 angstroms and most commonly about 700 angstroms.
  • the reflective layer 130 may be deposited by conventional vacuum deposition aluminum silvering processes, as are well-known and widely practiced in the art. However, the present inventor has discovered that, unlike the binder layer 120, the reflective layer 130 generally benefits from a relatively high rate of deposition.
  • the reflective layer 130 may be deposited at a rate of at least about 15 angstroms per second, at least about 20 angstroms per second, at least about 25 angstroms per second, at least about 30 angstroms per second, at least about 35 angstroms per second, at least about 40 angstroms per second, at least about 45 angstroms per second, or about 50 angstroms per second. In some embodiments, the reflective layer 130 is deposited at a rate of between about 15 angstroms per second and about 50 angstroms per second.
  • the protective layer 140 lies atop, and is deposited after deposition of, the reflective layer 130.
  • the material of the protective layer 140 typically silicon dioxide, may serve a dual purpose: it is generally a hard material that protects the reflective layer 130 from damage and improves the durability, resistance to abrasion, etc. of the mirror 10A as a whole, but may also be a dielectric material and thus greatly enhance the reflectivity of the mirror 10A at a desired wavelength or wavelengths.
  • the thickness of the protective layer 140 may be selected so as to provide a desired dielectric effect, but in general the protective layer 140 may be significantly thicker than the binder layer 120 and/or reflective layer 130. In embodiments, a thickness of the protective layer 140 may be between about 950 angstroms and about 2350 angstroms, most commonly about 1650 angstroms.
  • the protective layer 140 is, like the binder layer 120, most advantageously deposited by LAD.
  • the rate of deposition of the protective layer 140 is not critical, and any suitable rate, as known and described in the art, may be selected for a desired application.
  • a relatively low deposition rate e.g. of between about 2 angstroms per second and about 5 angstroms per second, or about 2.5 angstroms per second, may be desirable, due to considerations similar to those described above with respect to the binder layer 120.
  • the top layer 160 lies atop, and is deposited after deposition of, the protective layer 140.
  • the top layer 160 defines an outer surface 170 of the front portion 14 of the mirror 10 A.
  • the top layer 160 is made of an oleophobic/hydrophobic (O/H) material and serves to improve the cleanability and resistance to contamination/fouling of the mirror 10A.
  • the 0/H top layer 160 causes oily (e.g. oils present on human skin) or aqueous (e.g. environmental water vapor, rainfall, human bodily fluids, etc.) contaminants to “bead” on the surface of the mirror 10A rather than spreading across the surface in a thin layer; the contact area between the contaminant and the surface is thus minimized, making it easier for the contaminant to fall and/or be removed from the surface.
  • the O/H top layer 160 thus extends the useful life of the mirror 10A by reducing both the frequency and the force required to maintain the mirror 10A as clean, thereby reducing the likelihood of damage to the mirror 10A as a result of cleaning.
  • the rate of deposition of the top layer 160 is not critical, and any suitable rate, as known and described in the art, may be selected for a desired application, but the present inventor has discovered that it is generally advantageous to apply the top layer 160 immediately, or shortly (e.g. within about 60 minutes), after deposition of the protective layer 140. Without wishing to be bound by any particular theory, it is believed that applying the top layer 160 atop a recently deposited protective layer 140 may result in more effective bonding between the protective layer 140 and the top layer 160 and/or more uniform thickness of the top layer 160.
  • the top layer 160 may be made of any O/H material suitable for making O/H coatings of glass surfaces such as touchscreens, so long as such material can be evaporated (thermally or via electron beam) in the vacuum deposition chamber without causing unwanted byproducts or contaminants to be deposited onto the mirror 10 A.
  • O/H materials suitable for use in the top layer 160 include, but are not limited to, Substance WR4-SF Patinal® (EMD Performance Materials, Darmstadt, Germany), Surfclear 100 (Canon Optron, Inc., Yuki, Japan), and Surfclear 300 (Canon Optron, Inc., Yuki, Japan).
  • a thickness of the top layer 160 may generally be between about 100 angstroms and about 300 angstroms, most commonly about 150 angstroms.
  • the efficiency and effectiveness of the top layer 160, and/or the process of deposition thereof may be improved by conducting an ion cleaning of the mirror 10A after application of the protective layer 140 and before application of the top layer 160.
  • Ion cleaning is, like IAD, a process in which the surface of a substrate is bombarded with energetic atomic-sized particles, but differs in that it does not take place in the presence of a condensing film material. As a result, the ionic bombardment results in atoms or molecules, often contaminant atoms or molecules, being removed from the surface of the substrate.
  • incorporation of an ion cleaning step between deposition of the protective layer 140 and deposition of the top layer 160 can beneficially remove contaminants and improve the uniformity of the mirror surface (i.e. to “smoothen,” or decrease the roughness of, the mirror surface, which may have been introduced as a result of uneven deposition of the protective layer 140 and/or any of the underlying layers 110, 120, 130) prior to application of the O/H coating 160.
  • incorporation of an ion cleaning step can provide a mirror 10 having the surface uniformity and optical quality characteristic of high-performance mirrors, while also including the full benefits of the O/H coating discussed throughout this disclosure.
  • the ion cleaning can be performed during the same manufacturing run as the other layer deposition steps and/or without venting the vacuum chamber, further improving the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the manufacturing method.
  • One particular advantage and benefit of the mirror 10A and the coating 100 A illustrated in Figure 2A is that it can be provided with an improved O/H effect (provided by the top layer 160) while maintaining a uniform coating thickness across the full area of the mirror 10 A.
  • Previous attempts to impart O/H coatings to optical-quality mirrors have generally suffered from very poor coating thickness uniformity. Often, the thickness of the coating in these prior mirrors varied by at least as much as about 6% across the area of the mirror, and such large variations in coating thickness can profoundly degrade the optical performance of the mirror.
  • the present inventor has been able to provide mirrors 10A according to the embodiment illustrated in Figure 2 A in which the coating thickness varies by no more than about 2%, and in some cases no more than about 1.5% or no more than about 1%, over the area of the front portion 14 of the mirror, thereby maintaining the mirror’s optical quality while providing the desired O/H effect.
  • FIG. 2B another embodiment of a mirror 10B with a coating 100B comprising an energetically bonded O/H top layer 160 is illustrated.
  • the embodiment illustrated in Figure 2B is similar to that illustrated in Figure 2A, except that a portion of the protective layer 140 has been replaced by a second (or upper) protective layer 150.
  • the lower protective layer 140 is applied by IAD, while the upper protective layer 150 is applied by a non-ion-aided vacuum deposition process.
  • IAD an advantageous difference in, or combination of, chemical, optical, or physical characteristics between the lower protective layer 140 and the upper protective layer 150.
  • the thickness of the upper protective layer 150 may generally be between about 1 angstrom and about 600 angstroms, most commonly about 300 angstroms, but the total thickness of the lower and upper protective layers 140, 150 in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 2B is typically about equal to the thickness of the single protective layer 140 in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 2A, e.g. between about 950 and about 2350 angstroms and most commonly about 1650 angstroms. As in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 2A, it may be beneficial, in the process of manufacturing the mirror 10B illustrated in Figure 2B, to perform an ion cleaning step after deposition of the second/upper protective layer 150 and before deposition of the top layer 160, for any or all of the reasons described above.
  • method 300 for applying an energetically bonded O/H coating to a mirror 10 is illustrated. While a general order of the operations of method 300 are shown in Figure 3, method 300 can include more or fewer operations, or can arrange the order of the operations differently than those shown in Figure 3. Further, although the operations of method 300 may be described sequentially, one or more the operations may in fact be performed in parallel or concurrently.
  • a substrate or base layer is provided as described above with respect to the base layer 110 illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.
  • the base layer 110 is the front portion 14 of a mirror body 12.
  • the base layer 110 may comprise a piece of material, such as an insert, which will be interconnected to the front portion 14.
  • a binder layer is deposited on the base layer 110 as described above with respect to the binder layer 120 illustrated in Figures 2A and 2B.
  • a reflective layer depositing step 330 a reflective layer is deposited atop the binder layer as described above with respect to the reflective layer 130 illustrated in Figures 2A and 2B.
  • a protective layer(s) depositing step 340 at least one protective layer is deposited atop the reflective layer as described above with respect to the protective layer 140 illustrated in Figure 2A and/or with respect to the lower and upper protective layers 140, 150 illustrated in Figure 2B.
  • a top layer depositing step 360 an O/H top layer is deposited atop the protective layer(s) as described above with respect to the top layer 160 illustrated in Figures 2 A and 2B.
  • method 400 for applying an energetically bonded O/H coating to a mirror 10 is illustrated. While a general order of the operations of method 400 are shown in Figure 4, method 400 can include more or fewer operations, or can arrange the order of the operations differently than those shown in Figure 4. Further, although the operations of method 400 may be described sequentially, one or more the operations may in fact be performed in parallel or concurrently.
  • a substrate or base layer is provided as described above with respect to the base layer 110 illustrated in Figures 2A and 2B.
  • the base layer 110 is the front portion 14 of a mirror body 12.
  • the base layer 110 may comprise a piece of material, such as an insert, which will be interconnected to the front portion 14.
  • a binder layer depositing step 420 a binder layer is deposited on the base layer as described above with respect to the binder layer 120 illustrated in Figures 2 A and 2B.
  • a reflective layer depositing step 430 a reflective layer is deposited atop the binder layer as described above with respect to the reflective layer 130 illustrated in Figures 2A and 2B.
  • a protective layer(s) depositing step 440 at least one protective layer is deposited atop the reflective layer as described above with respect to the protective layer 140 illustrated in Figure 2A and/or with respect to the lower and upper protective layers 140, 150 illustrated in Figure 2B.
  • an argon ion cleaning step 450 the mirror is subjected to an argon ion cleaning process prior to application of the energetically bonded O/H coating for any length of time suitable for cleaning, without undesirably etching, the protective layer 140 (or protective layers 140, 150).
  • the argon ion cleaning may last for between about 1 minute and about 30 minutes, most typically about 15 minutes.
  • a top layer depositing step 460 an O/H top layer is deposited atop the protective layer(s) as described above with respect to the top layer 160 illustrated in Figures 2A and 2B.
  • Mirrors for testing the effectiveness of O/H coatings of the present disclosure were formed by vacuum deposition, and specifically by depositing a 700-angstrom layer of aluminum via high-rate, non-IAD vacuum deposition on a glass substrate, followed by argon IAD of a 1650-angstrom layer of silicon dioxide atop the aluminum layer. Finally, immediately after deposition of the final silicon dioxide layer and without venting the deposition chamber, four tungsten boats (Kurt J. Lesker Company, Jefferson Hills, PA) were placed in the resistive source of the S36 coating chamber, and two “pills” or “tablets” of an O/H coating material, specifically Substance WR4-SF Patinal® (EMD Performance Materials, Darmstadt, Germany), were added to each boat.
  • tungsten boats Karl J. Lesker Company, Jefferson Hills, PA
  • the O/H material was then deposited atop the final silicon dioxide layer via vacuum deposition to form the finished optical-quality mirror having an energetically bonded O/H coating.
  • the coating of the finished mirror included (in ascending order from the substrate) a binder layer of aluminum metal having a thickness of about 250 angstroms (applied at low deposition rate), a reflective layer of aluminum metal having a thickness of about 700 angstroms (applied at high deposition rate), an IAD-deposited protective layer of silicon dioxide having a thickness of about 1350 angstroms, a non-IAD-deposited protective layer of silicon dioxide having a thickness of about 300 angstroms, and an O/H top layer of WR4-SF having a thickness of about 150 angstroms.
  • Examples 2-9 illustrate comparisons between O/H coated mirrors prepared according to this Example and mirrors having a conventional protective coating (i.e. lacking the O/H layer).
  • Example 1 A mirror produced according to Example 1 and a conventional mirror lacking the O/H layer were subjected to hardness testing according to paragraph 4.4.5 of United States Military Specification MIL-M-13508C, “Mirror, Front Surface Aluminized: For Optical Elements.” In this test, a 1 -pound test device with a 3/8”-thick pad of cheesecloth was rubbed against the coated surface for 50 passes. Both mirrors met the hardness specification of this test, and neither coating exhibited any sign of damage after the test.
  • both mirrors were qualitatively evaluated for tactile characteristics. It was observed that the mirror including the O/H layer produced according to Example 1 felt noticeably “slicker” to the touch than the conventional mirror. Without wishing to be bound by any particular theory, it is believed that this increased “slickness” can cause a potentially abrasive material to be deflected away from the mirror surface more easily, thereby protecting the mirror and O/H coating against scratching.
  • Example 3 Adhesion Testing Several conventional mirrors lacking both an O/H layer and an IAD-deposited binder layer were subjected to “tape pull” adherence testing according to MIL-M-13508C, If 4.4.6. In this test, a piece of cellophane tape (Scotch 600) was pressed against the surface and then slowly removed at a 90° angle. Some conventional mirrors passed this test, while others failed. By contrast, several mirrors having an IAD-deposited binder layer (but no O/H layer) were tested according to the same procedure; all of these mirrors passed.
  • the mirrors having the IAD-deposited binder layer but no O/H layer were then subjected to “tape pull” adhesion testing according to MIL-C-675C, If 4.5.12.
  • a piece of cellophane tape was pressed against the surface and then quickly “snapped” off of the coating. All of the tested mirrors passed.
  • the same test protocol was repeated on the same samples using duct tape, gaffer’s tape, electrical tape, packing tape, and Kapton tape in place of the cellophane tape, with the same result — none of the tapes caused removal of the coating from the glass substrate of the mirror.
  • a mirror 200A having the IAD-deposited binder layer but no O/H layer ( Figure 5A) and a mirror 200B produced according to Example 1 ( Figure 5B) were subjected to the tape pull adhesion test of MIL-C-675C, ]f 4.5.12. While both mirrors 200A, B passed the test, Figure 5A clearly illustrates a “tacky” residue 202 left behind on the surface of the non-O/H-coated mirror 200A, which required wiping with alcohol to be removed.
  • sample mirrors 200A,B illustrated in Figures 5 A and 5B were subjected to water bead testing to evaluate their relative hydrophobicity qualities. Specifically, a droplet of water was delivered to the surface of both samples 200A,B via pipet. The droplets applied to both mirrors were of approximately equal volume.
  • the contact angle between the water bead 204B and the surface of the O/H-treated mirror 200B is greater than 90° — that is, rather than resting perpendicular to the surface of the mirror 200B (e.g. in a hemispherical conformation), the bead actually curves back under itself.
  • This result is in accordance with the assertion by the manufacturer of the WR4-SF material that it can achieve a water contact angle of 116°.
  • the water contact angle of uncoated glasses and glasses having non-hydrophobic coatings is generally about 40°.
  • the non-O/H-treated mirror 200A had to be wiped or dried to be removed from the surface.
  • the hydrophobic phenomenon illustrated in Figures 6B and 7B may thus be particularly useful to improve the resilience of mirrors against large-scale wetting events, as most of any large quantity of water will simply flow or fall away from the hydrophobic surface of the mirror in sheets, allowing the small remainder to be easily removed by wiping, drying, or blowing.
  • a human tester applied both thumbs, which had been rubbed together in an attempt to distribute skin oils equally, to the surfaces of both sample mirrors 200A,B of Example 4 and applied approximately equal pressure for approximately equal times.
  • FIGS 8A and 8B the fingerprints 206 left due to the application of the tester’s thumbs on both samples 200A, 200B are illustrated. Although the effect is not as striking as the result of the water bead testing of Example 4, the fingerprint 206B left on the O/H-treated mirror 200B ( Figure 8B) is noticeably less pronounced than the fingerprint 206A left on the non-O/H-treated mirror 200A ( Figure 8A), consistent with the O/H material manufacturer’s claims of an oil contact angle of about 70°.
  • both sample mirrors 200A,B were rubbed with a dry paper towel to attempt to remove the fingerprints 206 from the surfaces.
  • the fingerprint is much more completely removed from the O/H-treated sample mirror 200B ( Figure 9B) than from the non-O/H-treated sample mirror 200A ( Figure 9A).
  • the non-O/H-treated mirror 200A is left with a hazy bluish residue, which required the application of a foaming spray cleaner to be completely removed.
  • the O/H-treated sample mirror 200B did not have any residue and did not require the application of any type of cleaner.
  • Example 6 Permanent Ink Removal Testing
  • a Fine-tip Sharpie® permanent marker (Newell Brands, Atlanta, GA) was used to mark the surfaces of both sample mirrors 200A,B of Example 4. It is readily apparent that whereas the mirror 200A having no O/H layer ( Figure 10 A) receives the permanent ink 208 A as readily as paper or untreated glass, the increased hydrophobicity and/or oleophobicity of the O/H-treated mirror 200B ( Figure 10B) causes the surface of the mirror 200B to reject the ink 208B and cause the ink to bead on the surface, resulting in a much fainter, lighter mark.
  • both sample mirrors 200A,B were rubbed with a dry paper towel to attempt to remove the permanent ink 208 from the surface.
  • the permanent ink 208A deposited on the mirror 200A having no O/H layer ( Figure 11 A) is largely unaffected, and it was possible to remove the ink only with the use of foaming spray cleaner or other similar solvent.
  • Example 7 Foaming Spray Cleaner Testing An O/H-treated mirror 200C made according to the procedure of Example 1, having an outer diameter of 150 mm, was subjected to a cleaning procedure in which a foaming spray glass cleaner was applied to the entire surface of the mirror 200C and then wiped off with a dry microfiber mop head as soon as the cleaner foam began to slide down the surface of the mirror 200C. No additional pressure was applied to the mop head. This process was continued until the foaming spray glass cleaner was removed from the entire surface of the mirror 200C.
  • the O/H-treated mirror 200C is shown before ( Figure 12A) and after ( Figure 12B) wiping of the foaming spray cleaner from the surface.
  • the foaming spray cleaner it was easily possible to apply the foaming spray cleaner to substantially the entire surface of the mirror 200C and then to remove the cleaner from the surface by wiping; the cleaner left no apparent residue and successfully cleaned contaminants from the surface of the mirror 200C, as expected. It was particularly observed that the mirror 200C, as expected, felt “slicker” than a non-O/H-treated mirror during wiping of the cleaner.
  • Two mirrors 200F,G produced according to Example 1 and two conventional mirrors 200D,E lacking the O/H layer were subjected to humidity testing according to MIL-M- 13508C, li 4.4.7.
  • the sample mirrors 200D,E,F,G were placed in a specialized cabinet heated to 120 °F and humidified to at least about 95% relative humidity for 24 hours. None of the sample mirrors 200D,E,F,G exhibited evinced degradation of any kind after this test.
  • the four sample mirrors 200D,E,F,G were then subjected to salt spray testing according to ASTM Standard B117-73, “Standard Method of Salt Spray (Fog) Testing.”
  • ASTM Standard B117-73 “Standard Method of Salt Spray (Fog) Testing.”
  • the sample mirrors were placed in a specialized cabinet heated to 95 °F and exposed to a misted solution of sodium chloride (5%) in water for 24 hours.
  • conventional optical-quality mirrors having protective coatings are generally poorly resilient to salt spray, and it is thus desirable to identify whether O/H coatings can overcome this drawback and improve the salt spray survivability of optical- quality mirrors (as may be important, e.g., for mirrors that may be exposed to seawater).
  • any degradation present on the O/H-treated sample mirrors 200F,G appears only at the edges of the mirrors.
  • the mirrors 200F,G used for this Example were made from “snap-cut” microscope slides without beveled edges, and, without wishing to be bound by any particular theory, it is thus hypothesized that fissures and microscopic cracks on the edges of the samples 200F,G may allow infiltration of saltwater, and that mirrors made with beveled edges and/or treated to minimize edge defects may provide further resilience against salt spray.
  • the reflectivity of the sample mirrors 200A,B of Example 4 was tested across a wavelength range of 400 nm (violet) to 700 nm (red), i.e. across most of the visible spectrum, with an angle of incidence of 20% and the coatings of both mirrors 200A,B having approximately equal thickness.
  • a graph of the reflectivity of each sample mirror across this range is provided as Figure 14 with wavelength in nanometers on the x-axis and percent reflectivity on the y-axis.
  • the application of the O/H layer 160 to mirror coatings has no readily discernible negative or detrimental effect on the optical performance of the mirror coating.
  • the O/H-treated mirror 200B had slightly greater average reflectivity across the range of 450 to 650 nm (88.7%) than the non-O/H-treated sample mirror 200A (88.1%), although this difference was well within experimental error and is not believed to be indicative of a meaningful difference in performance.
  • WR4-SF the O/H coating material applied to the O/H-treated mirror 200B
  • Mirrors for testing the effectiveness of O/H coatings of the present disclosure were formed by vacuum deposition, and specifically by depositing a 700-angstrom layer of aluminum via high-rate, non-IAD vacuum deposition on a glass substrate, followed by argon IAD of a 1650-angstrom layer of silicon dioxide atop the aluminum layer.
  • an argon ion cleaning step 450 in which the mirror was further bombarded with argon ions without the introduction of any condensing film material was performed as described in conjunction with Figure 4.
  • the argon ion cleaning step was carried out for about 15 minutes to remove contaminants and improve the uniformity of the mirror surface (i.e. to “smoothen,” or decrease the roughness of, the mirror surface) prior to application of the O/H coating.
  • the coating of the finished mirror included (in ascending order from the substrate 110) a binder layer 120 of aluminum metal having a thickness of about 250 angstroms (applied at low deposition rate), a reflective layer 130 of aluminum metal having a thickness of about 700 angstroms (applied at high deposition rate), an IAD-deposited first protective layer 140 of silicon dioxide having a thickness of about 1350 angstroms, a non-IAD- deposited second protective layer 150 of silicon dioxide having a thickness of about 300 angstroms, and an O/H top layer 160 of Surfclear 300 having a thickness of about 150 angstroms.
  • Examples 12-18 illustrate comparisons between O/H coated mirrors prepared according to this Example 11 and mirrors having a conventional protective coating (i.e. lacking the O/H layer).
  • a mirror produced according to Example 11 and a conventional mirror lacking the O/H layer were subjected to hardness testing according to paragraph 4.4.5 of United States Military Specification MIL-M-13508C, “Mirror, Front Surface Aluminized: For Optical Elements.”
  • MIL-M-13508C United States Military Specification MIL-M-13508C, “Mirror, Front Surface Aluminized: For Optical Elements.”
  • a 1 -pound test device with a 3/8”-thick pad of cheesecloth was rubbed against the coated surfaces for 50 passes. Both mirrors met the hardness specification of this test, and neither coating exhibited any sign of damage after the test.
  • both mirrors were qualitatively evaluated for tactile characteristics. It was observed that the mirror including the O/H layer felt noticeably “slicker” to the touch than the conventional mirror. Without wishing to be bound by any particular theory, it is believed that this increased “slickness” can cause a potentially abrasive material to be deflected away from the mirror surface more easily, thereby protecting the mirror and O/H coating 160 against scratching.
  • the mirrors having the IAD-deposited binder layer but no O/H layer were then subjected to “tape pull” adhesion testing according to MIL-C-675C, If 4.5.12.
  • a piece of cellophane tape was pressed against the surface and then quickly “snapped” off of the coating. All of the tested mirrors passed.
  • the same test protocol was repeated on the same samples using duct tape, gaffer’s tape, electrical tape, packing tape, and Kapton tape in place of the cellophane tape, with the same result — none of the tapes caused removal of the coating from the glass substrate of the mirror.
  • Figure 15A a mirror 210A having the IAD-deposited binder layer 120 but no O/H layer ( Figure 15A) and a mirror 210B produced according to Example 11 ( Figure 15B) were subjected to the tape pull adhesion test of MIL-C-675C, ]f 4.5.12. While both mirrors 210A,B passed the test, Figure 15A clearly illustrates a “tacky” residue 202 left behind on the surface of the non-O/H-coated mirror 210A, which required wiping with alcohol to be removed.
  • the sample mirrors 210A,B illustrated in Figures 15A and 15B were subjected to water bead testing to evaluate their relative hydrophobicity qualities. Specifically, a droplet of water 204 was delivered to the surface of both mirrors 210A,B via pipet. The droplets applied to both mirrors were of approximately equal volume.
  • the contact angle between the water bead 204B and the surface of the O/H-treated mirror 210B is greater than 90° — that is, rather than resting perpendicular to the surface of the mirror 210B (e.g. in a hemispherical conformation), the bead actually curves back under itself.
  • This result is in accordance with the assertion by the manufacturer of the Surfclear 300 material that it can achieve a water contact angle of 115°.
  • the water contact angle of uncoated glasses and glasses having non-hydrophobic coatings is generally about 40°.
  • the non-O/H-treated mirror 210A had to be wiped or dried to remove the water from the surface.
  • the two sample mirrors 210A,B were then tested to evaluate the “sliding angle,” i.e. the angle at which a bead of water will begin to “slide” (i.e. flow) off the sample when the sample is tilted.
  • the sliding angle was approximately 85°, meaning that the sample mirror 210A had to be held nearly vertically for flow to begin, and even under this condition the flow was slow and residual water remained on the surface and had to be wiped away.
  • the sliding angle of the O/H-treated mirror 210B ( Figures 16B and 17B) was only about 14°, and even at low angles the water flowed quickly and completely off the mirror 210B, leaving the mirror 210B dry without the need to wipe away residual water.
  • the hydrophobic phenomenon illustrated in Figures 16B and 17B may thus be particularly useful to improve the resilience of mirrors 10, 210B of the present disclosure against large- scale wetting events, as most or perhaps even all of any large quantity of water will simply flow or fall away from the hydrophobic surface of the mirror in sheets.
  • Example 15 Fingerprint Adherence and Removal Testing A human tester applied both thumbs, which had been rubbed together in an attempt to distribute skin oils equally, to the surfaces of both sample mirrors 210A,B of Example 14 and applied approximately equal pressure for approximately equal times.
  • FIGS 18A and 18B the fingerprints 206 left due to the application of the tester’s thumbs on both sample mirrors 210A, 210B are illustrated. Although the effect is not as striking as the result of the water bead testing of Example 14, the fingerprint 206B left on the O/H-treated mirror 210B ( Figure 18B) is noticeably less pronounced than the fingerprint 206A left on the non-O/H-treated mirror 210A ( Figure 18 A), consistent with the O/H material manufacturer’s claims of an oil contact angle of about 70°.
  • both sample mirrors 210A,B were rubbed with a dry paper towel to attempt to remove the fingerprints 206 from the mirror surfaces.
  • the fingerprint is much more completely removed from the O/H-treated mirror 210B ( Figure 19B) than from the non-O/H-treated mirror 210A ( Figure 19B).
  • the non-O/H-treated mirror 210A is left with a hazy bluish residue, which required the application of a foaming spray cleaner to be completely removed.
  • the O/H-treated mirror 210B did not have any residue and did not require the application of any type of cleaner as shown in Figure 19B.
  • Example 16 Permanent Ink Removal Testing
  • a Fine-tip Sharpie® permanent marker (Newell Brands, Atlanta, GA) was used to mark the surfaces of both sample mirrors 210A,B of Example 14. It is readily apparent that the mirror 210A having no O/H layer ( Figure 20A) receives the permanent ink 208A as readily as paper or untreated glass. In contrast, the increased hydrophobicity and/or oleophobicity of the O/H-treated mirror 210B ( Figure 20B) causes the surface of the mirror 21 OB to reject the ink 208B and cause the ink to bead on the surface, resulting in a much fainter, lighter mark.
  • both sample mirrors 210A,B were rubbed with a dry paper towel to attempt to remove the permanent ink 208 from their surfaces.
  • the permanent ink 208 A deposited on the mirror 210A having no O/H layer ( Figure 21A) is largely unaffected, and it was possible to remove the ink only with the use of foaming spray cleaner or other similar solvent.
  • the permanent ink was fully removed, however, from the O/H-treated mirror 210B by this dry rub with a paper towel as shown in Figure 21B.
  • Example 17 Uniformity of O/H coating application
  • sample mirrors 210C-1, 210C-2, 210C-3, 210C-4, 210C-5, 210C-6, 210C-7 were spaced along the surface of a surrogate substrate with a radius of curvature of about 9.25 feet and produced according to Example 11.
  • the sample mirrors 210C-1 - 210C-7 were positioned at intervals along a radius of the surrogate substrate, starting at the center of the surrogate substrate and then spaced approximately every 10 inches along the radius during production.
  • sample mirrors 210C-1 - 210C-7 where then marked with the same marker used in Example 16. Because the surrogate and the substrate rotate about the center of the substrate while in the deposition chamber during the coating process, these radial points are representative of concentric circles of the front portion 14 of mirror 10.
  • the effect of the ink 208 from the permanent marker is shown to be consistent on each of the sample mirrors 210C-1 - 210C-7 that were positioned along the radial length of the surrogate substrate. This indicates that the effectiveness of the O/H coating is effectively uniform across the entire width of the substrate.
  • Example 18 Foaming Spray Cleaner Testing An O/H-treated mirror made according to the procedure of Example 11, having a radius of curvature of 11 feet, was subjected to a cleaning procedure in which a foaming spray glass cleaner was applied to the entire surface of the mirror and then wiped off with a dry microfiber mop head as soon as the cleaner foam began to slide down the surface of the mirror. No additional pressure was applied to the mop head. This process was continued until the foaming spray glass cleaner was removed from the entire surface of the mirror. The results were identical to those described in Example 7.
  • the reflectivity of the sample mirrors 210A, 210B of Example 14 were tested across a wavelength range of 400 nm (violet) to 700 nm (red), i.e. across most of the visible spectrum, with an angle of incidence of 20% and the coatings of both mirrors having approximately equal thickness.
  • a graph of the reflectivity of each mirror 210A, 210B across this range is provided as Figure 23 (wavelength in nanometers is on the x-axis, percent reflectivity is on the y-axis).
  • the application of the O/H layer 160 to mirror coatings has no readily discernible negative or detrimental effect on the optical performance of the mirror coating.
  • This result is expected, given that Surfclear 300 (the O/H coating material applied to the O/H-treated mirror 210B) is a low-absorbance material with a refractive index very similar to the material of the immediately underlying protective layer, i.e. silicon dioxide of the protective layer 140.
  • Surfclear 300 the O/H coating material applied to the O/H-treated mirror 210B
  • the optical performance is shown to be broadly consistent for mirrors formed at all points across the radial length of the surrogate substrate, with only very minor variations in reflectivity as a function of radial distance.
  • the peak reflectivity value for each curve shown in Figures 24A - 24G was determined, and the reflectivity value at each of these peaks was then compared to the average reflectivity value of all seven peaks. This method produces a “normalized thickness” value that describes the uniformity of the coating.
  • the thickness of the coating was within about ⁇ 1.3% of the average coating thickness. This is well within the specification for many high-performance mirror applications of no more than ⁇ 5%, and comparable to mirrors with O/H coatings produced by previous methods.
  • This mirror 210D was then subjected to the tests described in Examples 12-16 and 18, with substantively identical results.
  • Figure 26 illustrates the results of the permanent ink test and illustrates ink 208 on the mirror 210D.
  • Figure 27 illustrates water 204 from the water application test on the mirror. The mirror 210D was then exposed to ambient indoor conditions for 52 days, with no visible degradation in O/H coating effectiveness or other negative effects.

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Abstract

L'invention concerne des miroirs de qualité optique ayant un revêtement oléophobe/hydrophobe (O/H) lié énergétiquement, ainsi que des procédés de fabrication et d'utilisation de tels revêtements et miroirs. Le revêtement O/H est un revêtement à film mince qui amène l'eau et des huiles à former des billes et à être facilement éliminées de la surface du miroir, et améliore ainsi la capacité de nettoyage, la résistance à la contamination et la durée de vie utile du miroir.
EP21837502.0A 2020-07-09 2021-07-09 Revêtements oléophobes/hydrophobes et d'aluminium liés énergétiquement pour substrat Pending EP4179037A4 (fr)

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US202063049951P 2020-07-09 2020-07-09
PCT/US2021/041019 WO2022011216A1 (fr) 2020-07-09 2021-07-09 Revêtements oléophobes/hydrophobes et d'aluminium liés énergétiquement pour substrat

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US20220357490A1 (en) 2021-05-07 2022-11-10 Flightsafety International Inc. Lightweight rigid mirror and a method of producing a lightweight rigid mirror

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US5177396A (en) * 1990-12-19 1993-01-05 Gte Products Corporation Mirror with dichroic coating lamp housing
GB2261079B (en) * 1991-10-31 1995-06-14 Asahi Optical Co Ltd Surface reflecting mirror
EP0573163A3 (fr) * 1992-06-05 1995-08-23 Optical Coating Laboratory Inc Durabilité amélioré pour une empilement de couches optiques comme une miroir et une méthode de fabrication pour une belle structure.
US5770270A (en) * 1997-04-03 1998-06-23 Research Electro-Optics, Inc. Protective and/or reflectivity enhancement of noble metal
US6078425A (en) * 1999-06-09 2000-06-20 The Regents Of The University Of California Durable silver coating for mirrors
US6601960B2 (en) * 2000-08-23 2003-08-05 Vtec Technologies, Inc. Transparent plastic or polymer based mirror and method for making the same
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US7300166B2 (en) * 2003-03-05 2007-11-27 Electrochromix, Inc. Electrochromic mirrors and other electrooptic devices
ATE517368T1 (de) * 2005-05-16 2011-08-15 Donnelly Corp Fahrzeugspiegelanordnung mit zeichen am reflektierenden teil
FR2943144B1 (fr) * 2009-03-13 2012-12-14 Jet Metal Technologies Miroir anticorrosion, son procede de fabrication et ses applications dans la recuperation de l'energie solaire
JPWO2013015112A1 (ja) * 2011-07-25 2015-02-23 コニカミノルタ株式会社 太陽光反射用ミラー、太陽熱発電用反射装置、機能性フィルム及び屋外用の帯電防止組成物
JP2014071276A (ja) * 2012-09-28 2014-04-21 Fujifilm Corp フィルムミラー
JP2015058595A (ja) * 2013-09-17 2015-03-30 富士フイルム株式会社 複合フィルムおよび太陽光反射用フィルムミラー
US9971073B2 (en) * 2014-04-14 2018-05-15 Corning Incorporated Enhanced performance metallic based optical mirror substrates
DE102015102496B4 (de) * 2014-10-27 2024-06-20 Almeco Gmbh Temperatur- und korrosionsstabiler Oberflächenreflektor
EP3803960B1 (fr) * 2018-06-07 2023-11-08 Silanna UV Technologies Pte Ltd Dispositif optoélectronique

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US20220011480A1 (en) 2022-01-13
JP2023533317A (ja) 2023-08-02
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CA3188379A1 (fr) 2022-01-13
WO2022011216A1 (fr) 2022-01-13

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Ipc: C09K 3/18 20060101AFI20240621BHEP

RAP3 Party data changed (applicant data changed or rights of an application transferred)

Owner name: FLIGHTSAFETY INTERNATIONAL INC.